Making Solar & Storage More Affordable for Everyone

The California Solar & Storage Association believes that all California consumers should have access to solar power and energy storage. Our vision is for local solar and storage to be as commonplace and accessible as cell phones and double-paned windows. Until we reach that level of market access, California will be leaving too much pollution-free sunshine on the table, unnecessarily building polluting power plants and subjecting ratepayers to added costs.

We worked closely with the California environmental justice community to pass AB 693 (Eggman), a 10-year, $1 billion program to install solar on low-income apartment buildings and disadvantaged communities. The key requirement of this program is that the solar energy will result in direct bill savings for tenants. The CPUC recently approved the implementation of this new program, called Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH). We will be working to implement this groundbreaking new program and to expand solar and storage access and jobs for all Californians.

In addition, we have been closely involved in the Multifamily Affordable Solar Homes (MASH) program. We are advocating proposals for variations to the NEM-2 tariff that are designed for solar growth in disadvantaged communities. And we will continue our war on soft costs to reduce the price of solar and storage overall.

In recent years, an increasing portion of solar installations have occurred in lower income zip codes. In fact, 59% of residential solar installations are in zip codes with median incomes of $40,000 - $70,000 per year, according to the most recent data analyzed in a report by Kevala Analytics. We need that trend to continue to ensure that all Californians benefit from the growing clean energy economy, including the local economic benefits and jobs associated with local generation and storage.